Emerald Phantom
by Fates Illusion
Summary: Voldemort's defeat leaves the world with a lot of questions, most of them revolving around the BWL. As they wonder, little Harry if left in the hands of the Dursleys but he won't stay there for long. The world needs him and who is he to deny that call?
1. Requiem for Peace

_**Emerald Phantom**_

_Fates Illusion_

**Summary:** Voldemort's defeat leaves the world with a lot of questions, most of them revolving around the Boy-Who-Lived. As they wonder, little Harry is left in the hands of the Dursley's but he won't stay there for long. The world needs him and who is he to deny that call?

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing! I am merely playing with other people's toys, using them in my own twisted games. Anything you recognize most probably belongs to somebody else, except the plots, those are mine.

**Dialogue Key:**

"Blah…" – Talking in English

"_**Blah…"**_ – Talking over radio/telephone/communicators

_Blah…_ - Thoughts, emphasis, writing/e-mails, flashbacks/dreams, spells

**Additional Notes:** The story will follow parts of the anime, manga, and books for all of the series' involved and then it will take a steep nosedive away from canon.

**Last Major Update: **06.09.2013 – Added about a page's worth of text to give the chapter a little more detail and corrected some minor typos.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: <strong>

_Requiem for Peace_

Rocks and dirt flew high in the sky as he was propelled across the ground. As soon as he slowed down he launched himself to his feet and dodged away from his landing spot, just barely managing to avoid the stream of gunfire aimed at him by ducking behind a nearby tree.

"That's not going to get you anywhere, you know!"

He scoffed at the sing-song tone his opponent adopted as the menace traipsed across the field, weapon swinging wildly as he seemed to casually explore the terrain. He wasn't fooled for an instant, if push came to shove he knew that gun could be up and firing in a split second. Leaning back against his cover he took a deep, steadying breath, gripped his pistol, and charged out firing with an almost frightening accuracy at his target.

Duo Maxwell wasn't fazed in the slightest.

Amethyst eyes sparkled in mirth as he dodged out of the way of the paint balls and made his own shot with a similar aim. Biting back a scowl, he only just managed to avoid the hit by jumping, using a small boulder as a launch-pad.

He didn't get very high but it was enough to avoid the hit that would have forced him out of their game.

The landing wasn't very smooth and he felt his knee, still recovering, protest at the awkward way he landed but he pushed the pain to the back of his mind and forced himself to move.

He felt like a mouse waging a miniature war with a panther and he absolutely _hated_ how helpless it made him feel. Stifling a snarl he pushed against another boulder, missing another smattering of paint pellets, and hunkered down to take stock of the situation.

He was low on ammo, the last member on his team (of course the same could be said for Duo, so he was somewhat mollified), his injuries were starting to build upon each other and slowing him down, and his phone was ringing. Biting back a number of curses he fished in his pocket for the cell phone, unburying it from under his two ration bars.

For a second he fumbled with the touch screen before he managed to answer the call, all the while he flashed a mirror in Duo's direction signaling for a time-out.

Placing the speaker to his ear he answered with a stiff, "hello?"

As he waited for a response from whoever was on the other end Duo came around the rock, his weapon stowed away, and an eyebrow raised in question when he took note of the phone.

"_**If you're done playing games, Phantom, I have a job for the both of you…"**_

Garnet eyes narrowed and his back instinctually began to straighten at the familiar voice of their commander. He hadn't seen or heard from Lady Une in almost two months, ever since she had put him on medical leave. "Am I off leave then?"

The surprise his sometimes partner directed at him was quickly masked as Une spoke again with a tired tone, _**"if I had any control of the situation you would still be playing paintball with everyone for another month, unfortunately I don't. I want you all in my office in two hours!"**_

The line clicked as she gave an abrupt end to the call without a word of farewell. Rolling his eyes he hid the phone away in a side pocket of his cargo pants once more and turned to the braided agent practically teeming with curiosity.

"Well, Raven?"

"We have two hours to get back…" He didn't bother reminding him that they were at least three hours out from London HQ; Duo would get them there in time.

* * *

><p>Exactly one hour and forty-five minutes later saw Duo skipping down the hallways of the Preventers main headquarters based in London, leading a slightly queasy looking Raven behind him.<p>

"So, did I do it?"

Violet eyes, dancing with mirth, focused on his companion.

Shooting him a mild glare, Raven swept his long black hair back up in its leather band with a practiced hand. "No, but you came pretty close this time…" Pausing a moment, he considered how Duo would take that comment and hissed a low curse before quickly adding, "Don't do it again!"

Hands behind his head, he turned around to fully take in his partners slightly green face, "What I don't understand is how a pilot can get motion sickness in anything that doesn't fly!"

It had been a long-standing source of amusement for the thief and he made sure to bring it up whenever he ended up driving.

"Maybe it's just the way you drive…" Raven shot back with a huff.

"Please, I drive like a professional!"

He bit back a grin when he spotted the twitching in the brunet's right eye and caught the mumbled, "yeah, professional getaway driver!"

They bickered back and forth all the way to the fifth floor, where they stopped in front of a door that looked like it led to a broom closet. It was one of the ploys devised in case there was a breach in security. Each door and tag outside of the doors was incorrect. In fact, everyone made it a game to shuffle at least two tags to other doors in the building every day or so and try not to get caught. So far only Heero, Duo, Trowa, and Raven had managed it successfully each time.

The "broom closet" they stood before was in all actuality the office of the head of the Preventers: Lady Anne Une.

Sharing an amused look the two let themselves in without knocking, earning them a mildly annoyed stare from the secretary who was busy arranging some appointment over the phone. Without a word to them she gestured to the Commander's door and buzzed them in.

Without another look back, they both marched in, their postures automatically straightening in the presence of their boss who was staring them both down from behind her large aspen desk. The steady gaze didn't stop them from taking in their immediate surroundings, an in-grained habit thanks to the war.

Lady Une allowed them enough time to register the two escape points, one window to her left and the door behind them, as well as any likely weapons or places to hide weapons. Her oversized desk could obviously store at least two handguns, maybe even a shotgun if she preferred (she didn't). The two bookcases over her left shoulder also carried small handguns on the third and fifth shelves. Her seat was another good place to find a weapon; at least it would be, once she was done repairing it.

As they observed the over-the-top room with its lush neutral colored furnishings and her thick green and yellow rug with matching curtains, she looked them both over taking note of the patches of dirt and grass that still clung to their clothes. There was some paint splattered on their shoulders and legs but the amount suggested that they weren't actually hit. Hiding an amused smile behind one slightly folded hand she gestured for them to take a seat.

"It's nice to see you back in uniform, Harry."

Emerald orbs, masked behind wine-colored contacts narrowed for the briefest of moments at the use of his birth name before he sketched a short bow, his lips tilted in a sardonic smile.

"It's great to be back…"

Deciding to cut the idle chit-chat, Duo dropped into one of the six chairs in front of her desk, discarding his soldier persona with a huff.

"What's this all about, Une?"

Quirking an eyebrow she shuffled a few sheets of paper that still needed her signature and then pushed them to the side, there would be no beating around the bush with these two, "We'll get to that once the others get here."

Glancing around as if he expected them to pop out from behind the curtains or just climb through the windows (despite it being the fifth floor, it was entirely possible –at least with the two already before her), "Where are they anyways? I figured they would be here already seeing as we were the furthest out…"

Looking pointedly in Duo's direction, Une hid a small smirk behind her tented hands. "They'll be here shortly, they're escorting the reason I called you all in."

Before either of them could try and wheedle any more details out of her the door slipped open one more time to admit five other people into the large office.

Most of them were familiar faces but among them was a definite unknown. Duo straightened from his slouch while Harry leaned forward, resting his chin on his knuckles while he watched the dark-clad figure.

The first to enter was Heero Yuy, stoic as always or at least he would appear to be to the casual onlooker. To the three already in the room they could recognize the warm acknowledgement his gaze held for the two boys.

Following Heero was a short blond with brilliant blue eyes and an even brighter smile. Quatre Winner wasn't a full-time member of the Preventers, mainly because he headed WEI, but he still took cases in his spare time when he was needed.

On Quatre's right was Trowa Barton, part-time agent, part-time clown. Between his two jobs he traveled a lot but he always made time to relax with his friends. He was silent in the presence of the one they were escorting but he wasn't tense enough that Harry or Duo viewed him as a potential enemy; he was simply uncomfortable in the presence of the unknown man.

At their shoulders was the man they were meant to be escorting. He was a complete stranger, with the darkest glare Harry had ever seen. That didn't bother him though. No, what really set him on edge was the tint of magic he could feel edging the frigid aura he wrapped himself in.

Duo watched, undeniably curious, as Harry stiffened in the presence of this newcomer. There were a couple of reasons why but when he saw his partner bury all of his emotions behind a blank wall Duo lost any chance of figuring out which one it could be.

The last to enter was Wufei Chang; ever aloof he remained standing in front of the now closed door, eyes still trained on their guest. Like Harry he seemed to be on edge but his mask wasn't the same as their Raven's, Duo could make out a hint of distaste and maybe some contempt but he still couldn't pinpoint why.

Une ignored the behavior of her agents already somewhat aware of what was occurring. Instead she focused on the man positioned in front of her. Greasy chin-length black hair was swept away from his face to reveal the very real scowl he bore. Black eyes, just as dark as his hair, were narrowed on the obviously important woman before him trying to judge how best to begin this meeting.

Leaning back in her chair she decided not to give him that opportunity.

"Now that we're all here, this meeting can begin. Severus Snape, would you care to explain why you're asking for the help of the Preventers and just who it is you're asking for?"

* * *

><p>And so begins a new story!<p>

I know this chapter is a little short but it's an introduction of sorts and if I carried on any further it'd be difficult to find a good place to stop. By now you're probably wondering what's Harry doing in the Preventers or why is he so different? All in good time!

I hope you've enjoyed reading this so far, as I'm having a ball writing it! If you have any questions or comments leave a review or shoot me a PM!

Happy reading,

_Fates Illusion_

_Next Chapter:_

**Chapter 2:**_ Twist My Arm_


	2. Twist My Arm

_**Emerald Phantom**_

_Fates Illusion_

**Summary:** Voldemort's defeat leaves the world with a lot of questions, most of them revolving around the Boy-Who-Lived. As they wonder, little Harry is left in the hands of Dursley's but he won't stay there for long. The world needs him and who is he to deny that call?

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing! I am merely playing with other people's toys, using them in my own twisted games. Anything you recognize most probably belongs to somebody else, except the plots, those are mine.

**Dialogue Key:**

"Blah…" – Talking in English

_Blah…_ - Thoughts, emphasis, writing/e-mails, flashbacks/dreams, spells

**Additional Notes:** The story will follow parts of the anime, manga, and books for all of the series' involved and then it will take a steep nosedive away from canon.

**Last Major Update: **03.02.2013 – Added about a page's worth of text to give the chapter a little more detail.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: <strong>

_Twist My Arm_

He knew, without having to look around that some of their jaws had dropped in shock.

The revelation of a whole world, hidden from society, that contained _magic_ tended to do that to people. He was a little surprised that they didn't need more convincing though. Most muggles brought into the fold needed some extreme magic done to convince them, like transfiguration.

If Severus had looked behind him as he was explaining, instead of looking at the Commander and trying to gauge her willingness to help, he would have seen something that might have changed the course of the meeting. Other than Lady Une, surprise was not the main emotion to linger on their faces. There was a fair amount of annoyance or understanding, and anger was prominent as well but astonishment, no that didn't make an appearance at all… but Severus didn't look, after all why would the opinions of a couple of teenagers matter?

"So, let me get this straight," Une leaned forward in her chair, studying him carefully, "you need the preventers to help assist the… Light, was it, in ending this war?"

The Potions Master scowled, "Not end it," he corrected stiffly, his back straight as he tried to fight off the urge to pace back and forth across the luxurious office, "there's only one way for it to end, thanks to a prophecy…" Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he considered how to explain their situation. "One person has the power to take down the Dark Lord, what we need from you is to…" He pondered how to phrase it, without offending the war-seasoned Lady, "clear a path, so that our _only hope_," the tone he used clearly suggested just how much he believed that tripe, "can fight the Dark Lord."

Une's eyes flitted over his right shoulder for a brief second before she focused on the man in front of her once more, "Let me ask you this then," At his nod she continued, "why us?"

Dark eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "is that not your job?" He demanded, tilting his head to the side as if considering a puzzle, "The whole purpose behind this organization is to end wars or prevent any more from starting, is it not?"

She waved her hand slightly stopping that train of thought in its tracks before it got out of hand, "that's not what I meant."

"What she means to say is, isn't there an organization within your Wizarding world with the purpose of stopping these terrorists, a police or military force?"

And now Severus was forced to acknowledge the most confusing aspect of this meeting – six teenagers he was specifically instructed to read in to the secrets of the Wizarding World alongside Une. Dumbledore hadn't given a reason and while Severus had thought to ask it remained unanswered, blasted twinkling meddler.

He didn't understand why teenage Muggles were allowed to learn their greatest secrets but he'd make sure they were worth the trouble that was sure to come with their involvement.

He hadn't meant to speak out loud, it had just slipped out.

_Lot of good that does me now!_ Harry stifled a growl behind clenched fists, stiffening unconsciously when he fell under the scrutiny of the wizard.

"And you are?"

The sneer hidden in Snape's undertone was not missed by anyone and it set the other pilots on the defensive. Harry merely narrowed his eyes in response, "Agent Phantom…" He introduced coolly, the less Snape knew, the better, as far as he was concerned.

He watched with veiled amusement as the wizard let a faint trickle of surprise show in his eyes. That humor was short lived when he rounded on Une, "You let children fight your battles?" He questioned, more than a little incredulous.

"Mr. Snape," Quatre interjected smoothly before Harry could say something he would likely later regret, "we haven't been children in years." The way he said it invited so many questions in the potions masters head but the particular gleam in the blond Arabian's eyes relayed a harsh warning to tread lightly.

Before he could question them further Heero pushed away from his seat by the window and stepped into the conversation with an expectant look, reminding them why they were all there with a simple, "Can we get back to the matter at hand?" and therefore managing to spare them from having to answer any kind of awkward inquiry.

With the pressure on from all sides and the need to keep everyone satisfied to better improve their chances of winning the war Severus grudgingly complied, "We have the Auror Corps as well as the Unspeakables."

"Wouldn't they be more adept at handling this situation then… what did you call us non-magical people? Muggles, wasn't it?" Wufei was more than a little disgruntled, but he was as civil as ever, determined to remain professional despite the sudden turn this meeting had taken with Snape's introduction. Perched as he was against the wall, his chin resting on his open right hand while his elbow rested on a small set of shelves, he delivered a flat stare at the older man; Snape was hard-pressed not to snap out his reply in the same manner he would to bumbling Hufflepuffs prone to crying.

"Normally they would be," He drawled out slowly, borrowing a leaf out of Lucius' book, "but they don't have war experience and they also work for the Ministry." The glare his condescending tone drew out from the Asian was a victory short lived when Wufei decided to look away with a small huff, deeming the small injustice not worth his time.

Cobalt orbs, trained solely on the magic-wielder and his responses to their queries, watched as a flicker of annoyance crossed his face before he hid it away.

"Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?" Duo probed lightly, forcing himself up from his lounging position to observe his reaction so that he could get a full measure of the situation from someone who seemed well informed and a little close-mouthed in the presence of _kids_.

In an instant the sneer was back in full force as he thought about his government charged with the duty to rule and guide their society and keep them safe, "The Minister doesn't believe that the Dark Lord has returned, as such he won't let his forces participate in what he has decided is a madman's _play for power_."

Sharing a confused look between themselves the next question was easy to come up with, "If he doesn't believe your Dark Lord is back then who does he consider as a madman?"

Silence fell as Severus looked them all over, his dark eyes narrowed at the six teenagers and their commanding officer. They hadn't been too outstanding in their reactions to anything else he'd said in the meeting…

"Albus Dumbledore, the leader of the Dark Lord's opposition: The Order of the Phoenix."

He watched suspiciously as they shared looks of exasperated understanding. There was something there, something he couldn't quite understand just yet… Filing it away to think on later he focused back on the conversation just as another query was shot his way from the auburn haired youth on his left.

"Is he a spy?" The silence Trowa had maintained thus far was finally broken by mentioning a trade he knew well. By the sounds of it, it was entirely possible.

Crossing his arms, Severus raised a brow, impressed at the quick conclusion drawn, "That's one of our suspicions," He admitted, not the least bit worried of keeping _that_ under wraps, "but we have no substantial proof."

"One of your suspicions," Heero and Quatre had both latched onto the comment, "you have more?"

They were quick he wouldn't deny them that…

"A spy, a Dark sympathizer, in the pocket of those with ties to the Dark, corrupt, the list goes on…" Apparently there was no love lost between the Minister and Potions Professor.

Lady Une watched from her position as her top agents took control of the meeting and ferreted out all of the details from their liaison using what they learned to patch together a plan. She could guess on some of it, considering their skill sets, but she was sure they could pull out so much more if they set their minds to it.

Quatre settled back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest as he considered what he knew so far, "Two more questions," he began, quietly asking for just a little more patience, "Who is this prophesied hero and how did you plan for us to clear the path so that they could end your war?"

When he began to stiffen everyone realized they had finally found the extent of the knowledge Severus was willing to divulge.

"For security purposes," He bit out between clenched teeth, "I'm not allowed to say who we believe our savior is, not until you've accepted the job and we are in a warded location." It was perfectly understandable, and because of that the six didn't push the subject. "In regards to how you were expected to help…" He scowled, "Albus decided that it would be better if you decided your own plan of action. He's willing to accommodate you and provide for all of your needs while you continue to help us…"

Brows furrowed, Harry stared at the green and yellow rug at his feet thoughtfully. With Dumbledore's support they could perform quite a few maneuvers with little opposition. He couldn't help feeling a little uneasy with the situation though…

Looking up he met the eyes of his teammates and signaled with a flash of his hands that he needed some time to think. The only acknowledgment he needed was the glimmer of understanding that lit in all of their eyes.

The Commander glanced between each of them, determining their own views on the matter before turning to the wizard. "We need to discuss this," She declared, "give us two days and we'll have an answer ready, as well as a plan."

Snape wanted to protest, it was clear as day on his face, but he forced himself to back down. They needed the Preventers and pushing them on the subject would most certainly not help their case any at all. Swallowing his pride he sketched a short bow, "Of course, I'll be back at the same time in two days…"

Without looking up or moving towards the door he vanished with a loud _pop_ leaving several displeased agents behind.

They waited a moment, ensuring he was gone before Harry collapsed back in his chair with a heavy sigh, "I don't like this," He mumbled, scrubbing at his face tiredly as if that would get rid of the headache that was beginning to pound at his temples.

"I don't think any of us does, Raven…" Wufei informed, taking the now empty seat. "I mean, who would have thought Wizards would contact _us!_" He scoffed.

Duo seemed to find the entire thing hilarious, if his laughter was any indication, "you have to admit though, that it's got a sense of irony to it!" Lounging back like a lazing cat he pointed to each of them, "I mean if they knew the truth I'm sure they'd be telling ("more like begging" Wufei inserted) us to forget about assisting them in a flash." The wide grin he sported showed that he didn't seem to mind that option too much.

"You realize that by taking the job we'll be staying in the Wizarding world over an extended period," Heero reminded them, he didn't bother mentioning the alternative; he knew they would accept the job.

Quatre spared him a grim smile, "I don't think that will actually be too much of a problem, as long as we come prepared…"

"We still have to devise a plan," Trowa pointed out, ignoring Harry's pointed murmurs questioning when they had ever made a plan and stuck to it.

Duo seemed to be of the same mind, "Should we really start planning when we don't know the full situation?" He cringed a little at the suspicious stare directed at him from his partner.

"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?"

"Uh… That you take us to Diagon Alley?" The sheepish smile he wore did not do anything to lessen the full brunt of the glare that was directed at him. It could have been a runner-up to Heero's own death glare, if there was actually a competition.

"Are you _insane?_" Harry hissed out, bristling like a cat, "'Cause that's not _bound _to draw their attention!"

"Actually, that's not a bad idea…"

"Wufei!"

The Chinese pilot found himself coming face to face with the enraged Phantom but he didn't let it worry him, "We need a full scope of the situation," Wufei repeated casually, leaning back in his chair as if he had no care in the world, "What better way than to get the information from their own mouths?"

Speechless but still visibly trying to protest, Lady Une stepped in, "It's not like you can't disguise them," She noted coolly, watching as Harry froze with the reminder.

Backing down, Harry considered it thoughtfully, calculating what would be needed to keep them out from under anyone's scrutiny.

Nobody liked the smirk that began to form on his face…

* * *

><p>And there we go!<p>

Now, I'm pretty sure this chapter kept everyone in character but most of my knowledge from the GW characters is through fanfiction and the first ten episodes or so… Hopefully now you all know why I chose Severus as the one to enlist the Preventers: as a trusted spy for Dumbledore, Snape has a birds-eye view of both sides and would be able to better explain the situation to everyone. It also has the added bonus that if Snape sees who's being assigned to the case he can get a (somewhat) reliable measure of their characters for Dumbledore.

Special thanks to KlutzyKat and Meer-Heika for their much appreciated assistance with this chapter!

Anyways, if you have a comment, question, or you notice any typos go ahead and either shoot me a PM or leave a review!

I hope you all enjoyed!

_Fates Illusion_

_Next Chapter:_

**Chapter 3:** _Cascade_


	3. Cascade

_**Emerald Phantom**_

_Fates Illusion_

**Summary:** Voldemort's defeat leaves the world with a lot of questions, most of them revolving around the Boy-Who-Lived. As they wonder, little Harry is left in the hands of Dursley's but he won't stay there for long. The world needs him and who is he to deny that call?

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing! I am merely playing with other people's toys, using them in my own twisted games. Anything you recognize most probably belongs to somebody else, except the plots, those are mine.

**Dialogue Key:**

"Blah…" – Talking in English

_Blah…_ - Thoughts, emphasis, writing/e-mails, flashbacks/dreams, spells

**Additional Notes:** The story will follow parts of the anime, manga, and books for all of the series' involved and then it will take a steep nosedive away from canon.

Alright, I know this is late by a couple of months. I'm not going to promise any more release dates because when I try to crank out a chapter with a time limit in mind the story just refuses to come to me.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: <strong>

_Cascade_

"I hope you know I'm plotting your death right now," Duo muttered under his breath as he pushed passed a gaggle of robed magic-wielders, "So far it's painful but really fast, I'm working to fix it so that it's nice and slow though…"

As the others rolled their eyes Harry didn't even spare him a glance, chocolate brown orbs fixed on a building that was bound to hold a wealth of information and was probably more than willing to give it to them for a very small charge. "I don't see what you're problem is," He murmured, just as low as the demolition expert, "I'm wearing the same disguise as you are and you don't see me throwing a fit."

Trowa shared an amused look with Quatre before addressing the seemingly oblivious teenager, "Yes but you also have the tendency to cross-dress more than we do, Hailey. Donna here doesn't normally go that far."

"Donna" tossed his head angrily at the name he was given for their little infiltration mission, forcing his lengthy braid to swing around, nearly hitting Trowa in the stomach.

Only feet away from their destination, Harry turned around to face the group fully, "You wanted to get in without raising suspicions," He reminded them with a wicked smirk, eyes glimmering with mischievous humor.

Wufei huffed lightly, arms crossed under his generously padded chest, "I can understand you and Donna," He muttered, just slightly petulant, "but what about me? Was it really necessary to have me wearing these…?" A sound of genuine disgust rumbled in his throat as he gestured at his outfit. The customary black robes hid most of the get-up but the cloak still flared with each step just enough that people could see the modest red dress he donned underneath. Harry had even persuaded him to let his hair fall loose with a bit of cajoling!

Giving the young scholar a considering glance, the disguise artist tried to find anything he would have changed with the costume, "We don't want them connecting us to this place," He finally answered after coming up with nothing, "changing genders is a simple way to make sure we're not discovered later on," One hand on his hip, mimicking the pose of a young witch just steps away, he gave a casual wave at all of their ensembles, "the dresses are just another way to distract them from looking at our faces."

Tilting his head to the side curiously, Quatre looked at their outfits with a new understanding before he turned to Heero and paused, "If that's the case why did Heero get to dress as a guy?" Granted he was wearing a get-up that made him look at least four inches taller and he had been forced to wear brown contacts and a shoulder-length dirty blond wig, but out of all of them he was the only one who managed to escape the female disguises.

"It's a little difficult to disguise those muscles," Harry admitted, somewhat reluctantly, as he gestured at his somewhat bulky arms, "I could do it given enough time but one day just wasn't enough to find and gather the right materials."

Before they could pester him any further, "Hailey" swung around once more, dragging his friends down the street with a happy giggle that told them he was back in character once more. None of them paid any mind to the sign that hung over the door they entered proclaiming the shop to all as Flourish and Blotts.

* * *

><p>Books of all ages and genres lay out in mountainous piles, surely held up only by the grace of magic, all over the large store. Shelves upon shelves were nearly sagging under the weight they were forced to bear. There were people scattered throughout, browsing the seemingly endless titles or paying for their tomes at the front desk.<p>

Wufei could feel the charms throughout the room dedicated to protecting the books from all harm: flame and water damage would never be a concern as long as the text remained on their shelves. It was almost enough to make him wish he could wield magic like that himself.

"So, I guess we'll split up then," Quatre intoned, watching bemusedly as a book nearly half his size, stationed on a fortified stand, flipped its own pages, "Henry, go ahead and look up any useful information you can find on Hogwarts." Heero shuffled off with only a sideways glance at the master-mind of their infiltration for the weird name.

"Wen," It took Wufei a lot of will-power he wasn't aware he had to not turn around and strangle the snickering Duo behind him, sure the name fit him but it wasn't that hilarious! "Find what you can on the earlier history," Quatre paused for a brief moment, calculating, before, "Anything from about fifty to sixty years ago should do."

Harry leaned forward curiously as Quatre delegated, his attention focused on a cage filled with snapping textbooks. Ignoring the warning sign hanging off the table he poked his finger through the holes only to pull it back in a flash as the agitated books tore at each other trying to get to him.

Fascinated as he was, it took him a couple of seconds to realize he was being called by a somewhat exasperated Quatre. Ignoring the clear growls and snarls of irritation that followed his move, Harry turned around with a sheepish grin, "Sorry, what was that?"

"Could you look up the more recent history, please?" He repeated with a touch of humor in his warm honey gaze.

Harry pulled off a childish salute, "Whatever you say, Quorra!" Before the temporary raven-haired Quatre could comment, Harry skipped away as if he didn't have a care in the world, wavy brown hair flouncing against his back without any restraint.

Rolling his amber eyes heaven-ward, Quatre turned to "Donna", "Would you be willing to look up anything that might mention magic or potions that could affect how we perform our duties?" Duo didn't need any further prompting, with a wave of his hand he slipped away from their gathering and began stalking the shelves, eyes alight with ideas that would have sent lesser men running for the hills.

Quatre traded a wary glance with Trowa, both of them wondering just what they had unleashed before with a shrug they decided to worry about it later.

"I'll take creatures if you'll take cultures," Trowa offered, gently brushing a lock of long copper hair over his shoulder as he spoke. "You can search for any common laws and beliefs that we might be able to exploit."

Quatre beamed at the suggestion, warming to the idea immediately. "I guess we'll meet up in half an hour with any books that we find," Just as he was turning around he remembered all of the people moving about the store and hesitated, "it's probably best we don't interact with anybody as we are…" He mused thoughtfully, shifting on his heel just enough so that Trowa was in his periphery he relayed one last suggestion, "could you pass on to Wen and Hailey that they should probably lay low? I'll inform Henry and Donna."

Trowa merely nodded his head before he walked off in search of his two targets, leaving Quatre alone in the center of the store. Releasing a sigh, "Quorra" picked out where his stoic leader was before darting off to relay the message.

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><p><em>This is ridiculous!<em>

There were countless books spread out in front of him, each one opened to the section that detailed the reign of the latest Dark Lord, Voldemort. Every single one of them had something different to say about how he was defeated and not one of them collaborated with another book.

"Do they actually know what happened that Halloween?" He muttered irritably as he pushed another useless text away, "it's like a bunch of fans writing fanfiction…" He paused to consider that thought before he let loose a snort of disgust and pushed the rest of the books away.

Dropping back on his hands he glared at the useless pile in front of him, silently cursing it for the waste of space that it was.

"Do you need some help?"

There wasn't even time to blink, one second Harry was facing the stack of junk and the next "Hailey" was wheeled around with a look of absolute shock etched on his face, one hand held to his chest as if to calm his rapidly beating heart.

He didn't falter in his act even as the young woman stepped back in alarm, her bushy brown hair swinging with her every movement, or when she bumped into another pile of books and slipped backwards falling into the shelf behind her with a heavy thud.

* * *

><p>Heero only needed to glimpse through one book briefly before he came to the solid conclusion that Hogwarts would be a nightmare to guard for just the six of them. On the up-side it would also be a difficult place for outsiders to lay siege to.<p>

_Moving staircases, rooms that appear in one hall on a certain day and then shift to another corridor half-way across the school on the next day…? How can anybody find their classes let alone attend them in this mess?_

"Any luck?"

Heero didn't even turn to acknowledge the acrobat in drag, "It's going to be a challenge for a while," Heero admitted, "the school is constantly moving so unless we can establish a pattern it's going to be difficult defending it. Hogwarts also has protections against muggles seeing it so we'll have to find a way to circumvent that as well."

"Dumbledore will most likely provide a solution to seeing the school himself." Trowa surmised thoughtfully, taking the tome offered to him and casually scanning a few pages. "This is actually pretty handy," He mused turning a few more with a little more interest, "not only does it have an in-depth history of the school, but there's a general history of the wizarding world since the school opened its doors."

He gave a stiff nod in agreement, "On top of that it also covers the subjects taught, basic facts about the teachers, and it even lists several popular rumors about the school that seem to have some basis of truth in them." Heero intoned as he directed the sometimes clown towards the index, "Plus it's self-updating which is more than can be said for those books." Here, he pointed to a small mountain of discarded texts spread out behind him.

"Well," They both turned to see Duo standing at the end of the aisle with his own pile of books, some of them bearing titles like _1,001 Pranks with Practical Uses _ and _Jinxes for the Jinxed_, secured in his arm, "That does sound like quite the find, Henry!"

Giving the braided pilot an appraising look, Heero accepted the acknowledgment with one of his own, "It looks like you've found quite a bit yourself, Donna."

As Duo bristled with the name he was sure was going to follow him for ages, Quatre pushed passed him with another stack of texts, larger in size but smaller in number. Peering around his cargo he took stock of everybody's finds before his brows furrowed, "Where are Wen and Hailey?"

* * *

><p>And that's it!<p>

Can anyone guess what's going to happen next? I would love to hear any theories you might have. If you see any glaring errors or you have a question go ahead and either shoot me a PM or leave a review!

Happy Reading,

_Fates Illusion_

_Next Chapter:_

**Chapter 4:** _Betide_

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><p><strong>Notes on the Disguises:<strong>

I knew as I was writing the last chapter that I would be disguising the majority of the boys as girls but as I wrote this chapter I kept stalling on the details of what they would be donning. It took me quite a while to concede defeat and it took me a little bit longer than that to finally decide on leaving it to your imagination. I gave the bare bones of what I had originally thought of and left it so that you could fill in the blanks for your own enjoyment.

**Notes on the Names:**

Out of all of their names, only two of them had any actual meanings: Wen for Wufei and Quorra for Quatre. Wen is a Chinese female's name that holds the meaning of warmth. Now, while I'm sure it's supposed to actually mean the person has a warm personality, in Wufei's case I made it a little more literal. There is a connection which will make more sense later on in the story!

Quatre's is a much more simple explanation: Quorra is an Italian name meaning heart, which fits quite well with our dear empath.


	4. Betide

_**Emerald Phantom**_

_Fates Illusion_

**Summary:** Voldemort's defeat leaves the world with a lot of questions, most of them revolving around the Boy-Who-Lived. As they wonder, little Harry is left in the hands of the Dursley's but he won't stay there for long. The world needs him and who is he to deny that call?

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing! I am merely playing with other people's toys, using them in my own twisted games. Anything you recognize most probably belongs to somebody else, except the plots, those are mine.

**Dialogue Key:**

"Blah…" – Talking in English

_Blah…_ - Thoughts, emphasis, writing/e-mails, flashbacks/dreams, spells

**Additional Notes:** The story will follow parts of the anime, manga, and books for all of the series' involved and then it will take a steep nosedive away from canon.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: <strong>

_Betide_

Seeing the young witch stumble back in fright, Hailey's own shock was quick to fade. Silently cursing his luck, he moved forward and gently pulled her away from the shelf before it could begin to teeter under her added weight.

"I am _so _sorry!" Harry exclaimed, pitching his voice to keep any doubts of just what gender he was at bay. Brushing at her robes lightly to clear them of dust, he subtly made sure there were no other weapons on her person aside from her wand, a habit he had developed and honed with his chosen career path. "You gave me such a-"

He broke off when she grasped his arm in a reassuring manner, but she didn't say anything while she tried to catch her breath. Worried that he might have caused some trouble with his act he bent down a little to meet her eyes, "Are you all right?" She gave him a weak smile and waved him off.

"I-I'm okay!" She assured, quickly regaining her lost composure, "I was just a little winded but I'll be okay in a minute."

Harry wasn't fully convinced but he let it go. With a quick nod he backed up, giving her enough room to straighten up on her own. "I really am sorry," He told her still using a voice remarkably (terrifyingly) similar to Relena's.

Shooting him a quelling look she placed her hands on her hips, "Why should you be sorry?" She demanded, "I'm the one who should be apologizing seeing as I startled you in the first place!" Eyes narrowed and leaning forward as she was, Harry couldn't help but admit that she cut quite the intimidating figure.

Scratching at his cheek thoughtfully, slightly baffled at her attitude, he didn't argue with the witch. Instead he stooped down to pick up a few of the tomes that had been knocked to the ground in their mishap.

It didn't take more than a moment before she looked away and back at that accursed pile of trash behind him with a small frown forming on her lips. "Were you looking for something in particular?"

Peering behind him once more he couldn't help the scowl that appeared. "A friend of mine is trying to research the last couple of British Dark Lords for another friend of ours," He admitted with wry amusement, "we found Grindlewald just fine, but this most recent one…" Harry rolled his eyes and gestured at the mess behind him, "Well, he's turning out to be a disaster to find information on."

The details in his story were scarce but it would be easy enough to keep the girl distracted from that fact by drawing her away from his tale and onto something else, like his current dilemma.

Glancing between Hailey and the books, the bushy-haired witch sniffed in disdain before turning on her heel and marching back to the shelf she had crashed into. With a quick perusal she found a particularly thin book, not much wider than two of her fingers. Aside from an etching of a black snake poised to strike on the dark leather cover, there were no other markings indicating what the book was about.

"This is probably the most accurate book out of all of them," She informed him lightly as she shoved it into his hands and let him flip through a couple of pages, "there are still some things that aren't covered or explained fully but it's the most sensible out of all of this rubbish."

Browsing the subjects in the table of contents he noticed that it not only covered the acts Lord Voldemort committed in the first war but it also proposed several of the more likely theories behind his fall as well.

Watching him with a sharp gaze as he shuffled back and forth through the book she added as an after-thought, "The one thing you should probably take with a grain of salt in that is the list of Death Eaters." When he looked up at her with a brow raised in question she elaborated, "A lot of them weren't convicted because they claimed they were under the _imperious_ curse and so the list of those that were convicted isn't complete and there are those Death Eaters that weren't even marked!"

Tilting his head to the side he observed her, taking in her stiff back and disapproving frown, "You sure know an awful lot," He murmured, interested in where her information was coming from.

She hesitated for a moment, considering him, looking for something to trust, it took a little bit but finally, "One of my best friends was involved," She confessed, turning as she spoke to begin picking up the useless pile still resting on the floor behind him.

With her back turned she missed seeing the interest spark in his eyes.

"Really," Harry didn't even twitch as the altered voice Wufei had adopted floated down the aisle towards them, masking his light steps as he walked towards the pair. While the brunette turned to see the newcomer, Harry gave a quick and cheerful acknowledgement by calling his temporary name. He didn't seem at all bothered when he was ignored in favor of focusing all of his attention on the only real girl in their gathering and the possible well of information she held, "involved how?"

* * *

><p>Sitting in the cool interior of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, Duo found no trouble admitting that wizards made awesome ice cream. Chocolate dribbled down his chin as he licked messily at his cone, trying to save the rest of the goodness held in his hands from falling off the baked waffle.<p>

Even as he munched away on Quatre's treat, his focus remained on the window watching for Harry and Wufei to exit the book store.

It hadn't taken long for Trowa to track the missing duo down to a small corner in the back of the store. It took even less time to realize they had found somebody to interrogate subtly. After that all that they needed was a flick of a wrist and twitch of a couple of fingers to let them know everybody else would be waiting at their pre-arranged rendezvous spot.

Luckily for them, the kindly ice cream dealer was willing to accommodate them and their bottomless stomach for a partner while they waited for their friends.

Trowa had only just started digging into the sundae he was sharing with Quatre when he spotted a familiar bushy-haired girl traipsing out of the bookstore with three loaded bags of books and a happy smile on her face.

It wouldn't be much longer until Wufei and Harry escaped then. He snatched a bite of the caramel and chocolate covered banana before Quatre could steal it all in the distraction he was sure would be coming shortly.

Just as Trowa had predicted it wasn't long before Hailey and Wen entered the modest ice cream shop chatting away about all things inane while making it seem the most serious discussion in the world.

"It was pink I tell you! I swear she's getting to everyone, it's like a plague that spreads in her presence."

Wen wasn't having any of it though. Skeptical, she simply listened as her companion ranted, waving her arms for dramatic emphasis.

At the first pause he made his opinion known, "You're crazy." He stated quite seriously in a low tone, "It's okay though, we still love you."

Harry gave him a flat stare in return, "Of course you do; that was never in question." And then he turned right back to his raving over Relena's (lovely girl that she is) secret curse on the world.

Heero watched it all with a pensive frown on his face. As it began to wind down he turned to the braided menace watching the scene with a cat ate the canary grin. "Maybe Hailey shouldn't have any more of those late night marathons with you; clearly you're corrupting her…" That quickly wiped the smile off Duo's face.

The dismayed whine quickly drew the duo's attention from their perusal of the ice cream and their discussion. Acting like they hadn't spotted the rest of their team the moment they stepped into the parlor Harry flounced over to their table, dragging Wufei with him and greeting them as if they hadn't just seen each other less than an hour ago.

Smiling playfully, Hailey shoved Henry further down the bench and slid in next to him while simultaneously pushing Wen beside Donna.

"You wouldn't believe what we found in Flourish and Blotts~!" She started, stealing Quorra's spoon and a bite of Donna's ice cream. They all settled down in their seats and prepared for a veiled summary of the full-on briefing they would expect on their return home.

* * *

><p>Laden with bags of books and school supplies, Hermione pushed her way through the small crowd and into the Leaky Cauldron, her eyes quickly scanning the gathering to find…<p>

There they were!

With a grin she raced over to a table somewhat further back in the pub where a flock of red-heads sat chatting away over the day's special.

Ten steps from meeting up with the large family she was tackled from behind with twin shouts of "Hermione!" the only reason she didn't collapse under the added weight was from years of practice. Instead she rolled her eyes with fond exasperation heavenwards, shifted her bags up her wrists a bit and delivered a well-deserved poke in both of their sides forcing them to let go and defend themselves.

"Really you two," Turning, she addressed her ticklish attackers with a barely suppressed smile; "I was only gone for a couple of hours – is this how I should expect to be treated when I rejoin you after my extra classes?"

Ron Weasley shifted to share a glance with his partner in crime, cerulean eyes echoing the mischievous gleam that came from rich chocolate before he leaned forward and swept his arm over the brunette's shoulder, "Maybe!"

With a bark of laughter a second arm quickly occupied Hermione's other shoulder before they both led her to the rest of the waiting Weasley family. "We'll see when we get there!"

* * *

><p>Alright! Finally finished this chapter! I'm terribly sorry for the wait – I could give you all hundreds of excuses and reasons but it really all trickles down to a lack of motivation and some serious writers block. This chapter did not want to be written and even now I'm not entirely satisfied with it but I'm going to leave it as is for a little bit and then come back in a couple of days and edit it. Speaking of editing, chapters one through three have been edited – the first two have even gained an extra page or two of text with some new details. I'd recommend that you guys go back and read them through again!<p>

Happy Reading,

_Fates Illusion_

_Next chapter:_

**Chapter 5: **_Rain Before the Storm_


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